Boca Raton, FL – In early May, members of the Boca Raton Police Department identified an increasing trend of residential and automobile burglaries. An initiative, called Operation Neighborhood Watch, was created and implemented. The purpose of this initiative was to reduce the incidents of these crimes through a multi-faceted program. The plan involved officers from various units within the Department reassigned to expand undercover assignments; more comprehensive intelligence briefings; increased targeted marked patrols; and broadened education efforts.

Through a great deal of hard work, 41 people have been arrested since May 14th for crimes including home and car burglary, loitering and prowling, theft, possession of burglary tools, possession of drugs, and trespassing. We have included a gallery of these individuals for your review Click Here

The key ingredient in these successful apprehensions has been the involvement of the community. Several of the street contacts which led to arrests, began when a homeowner or neighbor saw someone or something that looked suspicious, or thought, “that just didn’t seem right,” and called police.

The criminal justice process doesn’t end with the arrest. The offender is either booked into the Palm Beach County Jail or is given a date to appear in court at a later time. If the offender goes to jail, they go before a judge at First Appearance and are either released on their own recognizance or are given a bond. After that, the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office assumes responsibility for the prosecution of the offender.

It has become a very efficient process, but not very effective. Unfortunately, a vast majority of these offenders are released soon after their capture, as you can see from the list. They are participants in a revolving door. We keep seeing them over and over again.

The members of the Boca Raton Police Department will continue to address crime trends through both traditional and innovative policing methods. We encourage residents to report suspicious activity immediately by calling (561) 368-6201 or 911.